Whisper the Dead
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Publication Date: October 9th 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~
Gretchen is struggling with her newfound gift as a Whisperer; the constant buzzing in her ears from detecting spells is more frustrating than fun, especially when she is spending time with one of the Order of Iron Nail's Keepers, the icy but strikingly handsome Tobias Lawless. But while Gretchen tries to hide the truth and resolve her feelings for him, London fades from beautiful and bustling to deathly silent ...Something evil is once again menacing Mayfair, and Gretchen and her cousins must use their powers to prevent a horrible sacrifice.
This second book in the Lovegrove Legacy trilogy is full of dark twists, spellbinding suspense and sweeping romance - perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, Lauren Kate and Ruth Warburton.
As of A Breath of Frost, Whisper the Dead gave me the same
feeling as it's predecessor gave me , while I absolutely adored it, I still
have a few minor issues. With A Breath of Frost it took me a while to get into
because of the large cast and side characters, the out of order perspective
changes and such big personalities to contend with. Being familiar with the
world now and the fun and outlandish characters that are out of style with the
Regency Period, I had no problem getting back into it, and this time around,
focusing more on Gretchen, who obviously now is was my favourite. She's
so...Gretchen.
My main issue is that although it does eventually come together, while you're reading it still feels like separate pieces of a story rather than a whole story being told. However, the good thing about that is that you have no idea where it's going to go, there's a lot of surprises, one I didn't see coming, and you can honestly not even guess. The downside, it can be a little confusing at times since there's a lot going on. But, that didn't take away from how much I loved it (well, not much) because it's just so damn good. Once again, because it's down to the characters, they really do make a book, and these characters, seriously, Alyxandra Harvey just has a way with characters, they're all very eccentric and crazy and funny and wonderful and all remain their own characteristic that they don't blend in. You know who you're talking from, which is funny since it is third person and I always find it hard to find a personality within that, but you can clearly hear their voices.
My main issue is that although it does eventually come together, while you're reading it still feels like separate pieces of a story rather than a whole story being told. However, the good thing about that is that you have no idea where it's going to go, there's a lot of surprises, one I didn't see coming, and you can honestly not even guess. The downside, it can be a little confusing at times since there's a lot going on. But, that didn't take away from how much I loved it (well, not much) because it's just so damn good. Once again, because it's down to the characters, they really do make a book, and these characters, seriously, Alyxandra Harvey just has a way with characters, they're all very eccentric and crazy and funny and wonderful and all remain their own characteristic that they don't blend in. You know who you're talking from, which is funny since it is third person and I always find it hard to find a personality within that, but you can clearly hear their voices.
A Breath of Frost followed Emma more, while still
perspective from her cousins and other characters, Whisper the Dead is the same
but with Gretchen being the main focus, and I loved it. Gretchen's hilarious,
that's the first thing you'll find out about her. No matter what situation
she's put in, whether awkward to waaay awkward to serious to dangerous, she is
hilarious. She lightens the mood on more serious notes, but she's determined to
get through, even with some painful moments, and it's great to see her explore
being what a Whisperer entails. I loved Emma's progression too, she's the same,
but she's also a little different from what she found out in A Breath of Frost,
she's stronger for it. Penelope I still haven't quite got a handle on, and
gathering the way the way the series is written, we'll get more from her in #3.
What I really love about this series though is the strong
family bond, and female solidarity, and it's stronger than ever in Whisper the
dead, along with a romance to root for and magic that although isn't anything
knew, brings something new to the table.
Rating: 4.5/5
